Grace for All

Knowing what we value and being able to act and speak accordingly is something many of us strive for. However, consistently demonstrating beliefs that we say we hold every moment of every day is a challenge for all.

Sometimes, I get to the end of a day, and I am discouraged by how much is left undone, by the words I did not share. Other days I have said words or I have done something that I realize might have hurt someone. My world can get very cluttered with what ifs.

My battlefield is figurative not reality, but I seek courage and strength everyday. As I search, I find that courage comes from the heart. This is true both in the sense that the courageous choose actions and words that demonstrate their heart and in the etymology of the word derived from cor which means heart.

The Lord is with us, in our heart, in our world, in the air that we breath. Courage is the ability to let what is in our heart lead us to do God’s will in a broken world. Strength is the ability to do what God leads us to even when it is challenging. And humility makes room for the strength to know that we will only accomplish what God allows for us. When we fall short of what we think we should accomplish, we should not be discouraged because our Lord is with us, always. The path to peace in our heart is in following God’s will whether it is what we think should happen or not. When the “what ifs” begin to clutter my view, I pray that God will show me the way forward and give me strength to understand.

Lord, help me find the strength that you share with me in my heart. Allow your love to guide me on the path of your direction. May your wisdom fill my heart and give me strength as I make each choice each day. I know you are with me always. Please help me to focus on Your will not mine, Amen.

This devotion was written by Jill Pope and read by Susan Daves.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [email protected].

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

These words make up the first two stanzas of a Song of Ascents.

The Songs of Ascents are a collection of 15 Psalms traditionally sung by Hebrew pilgrims as they journeyed to Jerusalem for worship during annual festivals. These psalms express themes of trust, hope, and spiritual ascent, reflecting the pilgrims’ journey from distress to divine joy and highlight the communal aspect of worship. Praise the Lord!

I’ve lived near mountains much of my life. In Birmingham, AL a peak called Red Mountain, part of the Appalachians, oldest mountains in North America, was visible out my front door. In Colorado, the Great Rockies towered grandly over the city of Denver and could be seen everywhere I looked. And now in Tennessee, the majestic Smokies, part of the Blue Ridge, America’s most visited mountains is the vista out my windows!

But the mountain I remember most fondly was an imaginary peak. I was around 12 years old when I saw it. I was in fifth grade, and my beloved grandfather had recently died of sudden cardiac arrest. I remember the feeling of devastation and crying uncontrollably as I walked home from school and up the little hill to our home. I stopped to wipe my eyes and when I looked up at the blue sky in front of me it appeared! The sky was filled with huge cumulus clouds that had taken the shape of a snow-covered mountain peak! It filled the whole sky and I was stunned to feel God’s presence with me!

My Pawpaw always read the Bible to me and took me to church. At the moment of the “mountain” sighting, I could hear his voice in my head. But I knew the voice was from God and was assuring me that my Pawpaw was home with God and that my help would now come from God too!

Here in Tennessee, we can see God’s mountains just about all the time. We would do well to be reminded of this verse every time we see them. And if no mountains are near you, just close your eyes and see God’s holy mountain, remembering His promise and blessing whenever you need it, no matter where you are. “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains – from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Won’t you please pray with me…Dear Lord, Maker of all things, please draw me close and let me feel your LOVE, your guidance, and your help, in all things, all the days of my life. Whenever I see mountains and hills, real or imaginary, let me remember you and reach for your help. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

This devotion was written and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [email protected].

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Many of our Grace for All listeners have likely visited Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. It is where the Holston Annual Conference meets each year to conduct the business of the church and hear about all the good things that have occurred and will occur in the coming years. It is a beautiful place, with the lake and hills, the huge lighted cross on the hill above the building where delegates meet, a prayer maze, a chapel that induces calmness and awe, a place where everyone can reflect, refresh, and rededicate themselves to serve God.

I was privileged to serve as a delegate a few years ago when one morning terrible news came from home. A father and son had died in a murder-suicide. It was a family well-known and loved by many of our district delegates. A family of faithful Christians who had served in many capacities to help spread the Good News and establish new churches and schools as missionaries to another continent.

Mental illness had become the demon that led to this tragedy, and we were shocked and grief-stricken that morning. The following days of profound sadness and grief were almost unbearable to those closest to the family. The child’s mother was literally prostrate with grief, but her wonderful family, her congregation, and many friends held her up until she could once again stand.

The morning that the news reached Lake Junaluska, I was praying as I walked to the meeting center, crying out “how could this happen to your beloved servants?” when I looked up and the beauty of the warm, sunny morning in a beautiful place of God’s creation overcame me. This verse “I lift up my eyes to the hills – from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” came to mind. I realized that as awful as this felt and as tragic as it was, God would be with us to help us endure and heal.

That day is not the end of the story. The mother dedicated her life to making the memory of her son a force of good in the community. Church and community activities were organized in her son’s memory. People chose to be the hands of feet of Jesus where there was need and continue to shine the special light that was this little boy.

A new family formed out of the hopelessness and despair of that tragedy. His mother remarried several years later, and a strong Christian family with beautiful children and loving parents grew. The Lord continues to help all of us who loved this child and his family and show us many ways to love and serve in his memory.

Awful tragedies occur every day in our world, but God’s promise never falters. He will never leave us, and He will always be there to help us when human strength fails, and we cannot understand why such tragedies happen.

Dear God, our earthly lives may be filled with loss and sorrow, but your promise is constant. You are there to help us, whatever our circumstances. You will never leave us. For this assurance, we give thanks. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Pat Scruggs.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [email protected].

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

When I read this verse, I immediately think about my grandmother, who was a master at using Southern phrases to get a point across. “ Stirring the pot” was one of her favorites and it took me a while as a child to figure out exactly what she meant when she said it. When you Google this phrase, it says in a social context it refers to intentionally creating or escalating conflict, drama, or tension, often to achieve a specific goal or out of malicious intent. The psychology behind it involves various motivations, including a desire for control, a need to displace anger or resentment, or manipulative tactics for self-promotion or gaining an advantage. It can also stem from boredom, insecurity, or a lack of empathy.

I’ve known some pot-stirrers in my time. And I bet you have too. In fact, I may have actually “stirred the pot” on occasion myself. But I felt I was justified when I did it to bring attention to a perceived injustice. In my opinion, most folks who stir up conflict find pleasure in other people's misfortune and sadness. There’s definitely something missing in their lives, and they’re resentful and jealous of anything good happening to someone else. Others like to sit back and enjoy the chaos they’ve created.

Patience really can diffuse a lot of escalating situations. In the Bible, it is presented as a virtue stemming from God’s character and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It’s not about waiting passively, but trusting in God’s timing and plan. God’s patience with us encourages us to extend Grace and be patient with others. While it can be difficult to be patient in times of trial or discord, we are reminded through Christ that patience is a virtue and a fruit of the Spirit.

The next time I’m in a stressful conflict, I’m going to remember this verse and hopefully bring the dispute to a manageable discussion.

This devotion was written by Virginia Hardwick Kerr and read by Sally Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [email protected].

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

When I was working, we always had to submit a new budget for the upcoming year. For a long time, we just looked at our expenses for the current year and increased that amount for the coming year.

Then we started using zero-based budgeting.

We had to review every budget item against what we had been tasked to do. We had to justify every expense against our primary mission.

I think that is what Jesus was doing. He was saying that every one of the commandments in the law should be reviewed against the commandments to first love God with all that we have and then our neighbor as we love our self. The only commandments that were needed in the law were those that fit the purpose of these two. We all need from time to time to review our lives against these two commandments.

How do we spend our time, money, and our other resources? Do these show our love for God and others? Perhaps we need to zero-base our lives. Get rid of the things that don’t show our love for God and others. What would our lives look like then?

Prayer: Dear God, as I go through this day, in everything that I say, do and think help me to show my love for you and my neighbors. So that this day my life might bring a smile to your face rather than tears to your eyes.

This devotion was written by Alvin Jenkins and read by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [email protected].

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

You are listening to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast produced by the people of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee.

This is Scripture Saturday, a time when we pause and reflect on the scriptures we have read throughout the week. If you missed any of our devotionals on these passages, you can find them on our website at 1stChurch.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Now, we invite you to listen and receive Grace. Welcome and thank you for joining us.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [email protected].

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

This may seem an odd verse popping up in the book of Job, which is probably best known for detailing Job’s disagreements, suffering, and, ultimately, his steadfast faith in the midst of his misfortunes.

In the previous verses in Chapter 19, Job lists his woes: darkness covering his path, the loss of his honor and hope, feeling anger directed at him, estrangement from family and friends, and begging for pity, which falls on deaf ears, his pleas ignored. What a sad situation! Job has every cause to be miserable and finds no one to help him in his time of need and sorrow.

I have participated in many Bible studies over the years, but never have I studied Job. Truthfully, what comes to mind upon hearing his name is the idiom “the patience of Job,” which is used to describe someone who can endure extreme suffering, hardship, or severe frustration without complaining or losing faith.

If you are over the age of 12, it is likely that you have suffered some injustice or hardship in your life. Maybe even before age 12, when you perhaps could not understand what was happening. I know I have, probably in every decade of my life. When I worked in a county in Middle Tennessee, I worked under a Director of Schools who was demanding, less than communicative, and sharp-tongued when he did speak. I just felt I could never meet his standards, and it was very frustrating. Many days I left my office thinking that it would be best for me to leave that job and find other employment. I didn’t, because of the people I worked with. They all experienced the same thing, and we supported one another. Poor Job didn’t even have a friend to support him!

However, Job endures his suffering with the assurance that he will meet his Redeemer. All his suffering will not have been in vain. Most scholars believe that this book was written between the fifth and seventh centuries B. C. (no Jesus born in Bethlehem yet) so he was referring to God as his redeemer, but he stood on his faith in the worst of his suffering.

In an introduction to Wisdom and Hymnic Literature in the Old Testament, one of the writers lays out key concepts found in this part of the Bible: the fallen world does not operate by justice, but we can trust that God is wise and just, even when the world is not. Through that lens it is easier to understand how Job endured all his trials with faith.

May you never suffer as Job suffered, but when earthly situations do cause you pain and suffering, remember that it is only temporary. Your reward lies with your faith in salvation and eternity with God.

God, we thank you for your wisdom and your constant love. You desire what is best for us, not what we may think we want and need. Let us always give thanks for your justice, even when we may not experience it in this lifetime, Help us maintain hope and patience and to love and support those around us when they are experiencing difficulties. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Pat Scruggs.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [email protected].

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

I have always thought of the “someone” in each of Jesus’ explanations of this parable (as in someone who hears the word but…) as other people. One person hears the word with this result and another hears it with a different result. But when I recently heard this passage read, I began to hear about myself in each explanation and it was eye-opening. The focus of the parable shifted from someone to sometimes. Let’s start at the end and work backwards.

I like to think that my heart and mind are fertile, well-tilled soil where God’s word is sown, takes root, and thrives. I am constantly hearing new truths in old passages that I can embrace and make my own. I hear and act on God’s call to go and do. And I like to believe that such truths and actions bear good fruit for the kingdom.

But then there are situations where I hear a new truth or a word from God for my life and it takes root. But the thorns of my everyday life (schedules, priorities, realities) grow up around that new plant and eventually choke it out. I miss out on the gifts for me and for others because I don’t make the effort to help that word or calling to thrive and it eventually is overcome and fades away.

And then there are times when a word for my life rings true and I quickly embrace it; but, just as quickly, it becomes an inconvenient truth for me and my everyday and I never give it the chance to take root and become a reality. I know there have been opportunities to serve that I have considered and could have been fruitful but then they run up against MY will and MY vision for my life and they turn into an opportunity lost. Seeds on rocky places.

And how many times has God cried out “Samuel!! Samuel!!” Or, in my case, “Charlie!! Charlie!!” And my ears have just been closed to hearing his call. I know I will always be given new chances to hear what God is speaking for my life and my calling but right now I’m just not willing to listen. These are the seeds that fall along the path and never have a chance.

I have experienced each of these scenarios in my everyday spiritual walk. So it no longer is a matter of someone but for me becomes sometimes.

It takes will and work and perseverance to keep ourselves always ready to receive a new word or calling from God. But when we do, the harvest can be a hundred or sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Dear Father, the parables of Jesus are not just interesting stories meant for another audience and another time. As Jesus said, “Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Help me to read each one and ask, “What are you trying to say to me now?” Thank you for your relentless love and patience. Help us to always be ready to say, “Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening.” Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Charlie Barton.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [email protected].

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

Reading both translations makes this verse seem a bit clearer.

In our world, anxiety is a constant voice, a big topic. At times, I find myself dealing with anxiety (traffic in downtown Atlanta comes to mind). It’s not that I don’t have faith, but some days doubt creeps in. Perhaps, the chaotic crowd of anxious thoughts swirling in my head may hinder any progress I might make. I step in, trying to take control and follow my own path, almost instinctively. The reality is that the “what ifs” are a dangerous way to live. Now, let’s be honest, some anxiety is normal. After all we are human. How do we control anxiety and doubt?

Anxiety always comes with at least a tad of fear. With God’s help we can step back and recover our balance. Letting go of our worry and doubts may take practice. We have to let go of our desire to control and then relax. We must never forget God is strong, always present and ultimately in control. When I feel anxious or full of doubt, I seek God’s genuine comfort – that deep, soothing reassurance. Leaning on Him allows my heartbeat to slow, removes me from the chaos and allows my mind to quiet.

I’m sure there are many paths that bring us to this place. For me, I turn to my “pocket verse” found in Psalms 46:10. “Be still and know that I am God.” It’s short and easy to remember and it is also powerful. A strong reminder that God is present. He steps in to quiet the chaos, fear and worries. No matter how chaotic our lives become; no matter how anxious we may be, God remains a secure fortress and welcoming refuge. Anxiety is set aside when we focus on Him. Once the chaos is stilled, I can focus not on the “what ifs”, but rather the renewed hope and joy of knowing I don’t need to solve all the problems.

His comfort, His strength, His presence – all fill my mind and renew my hope and joy. It is comforting in stressful times or times filled with anxiety to step back and focus on God, our source of comfort and joy. Peace and comfort are found in letting go and claiming God’s presence and love.

God of comfort and joy, we ask that you be with us as we find ourselves filled with anxiety. We ask that you help us to step back and remember that you are in control and if we focus on you, our hearts will be quieted and our racing minds will be stilled. We thank you, Lord for your ever-present comfort. Help us to always be filled with joy and hope. It is in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Lisa Blackwood.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [email protected].

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.

There is a question that serious readers of Scripture eventually have to face: why do two great religious traditions — Jewish and Christian — read the same ancient texts and arrive at different conclusions? Is one of them simply wrong? Or is something else going on?

The prophet Micah gives us one of the most remarkable passages in all of the Old Testament. Writing some seven centuries before the birth of Jesus, he points to Bethlehem — the smallest and most overlooked of Judah’s towns — as the birthplace of a coming ruler whose origins stretch back to ancient times, perhaps to eternity itself. Ancient Jewish interpreters, including the great medieval scholar Rashi, read this as a clear messianic prophecy. The Aramaic Targum of Jonathan, written before the time of Christ, translated the passage explicitly: out of Bethlehem shall the Messiah come forth. The Jewish tradition has always known that this passage points toward something — someone — of cosmic significance.

Where Jewish and Christian readings part ways is not over whether the passage is messianic, but over whether that Messiah has already come. Jewish tradition reads Micah’s words as a promise still leaning forward, still awaiting its fulfillment. Christian tradition reads them as a promise fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem, the one in whom the ancient origins of God took on human flesh. Both traditions are reading the same words with great seriousness and great reverence. They simply stand in different relationships to the promise.

This ought to give us pause — not because it suggests that truth is merely relative, but because it suggests that truth is larger than any single tradition’s grasp of it. And here the story of Babel may offer us unexpected wisdom.

We tend to read the Tower of Babel as a story of pure judgment — God scattering a humanity that had overreached. But look more carefully at what God says: “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” The problem at Babel was not human cooperation or even human ambition. It was the dangerous uniformity of a single voice that had made itself the measure of all things, a humanity so certain of its own sufficiency that it had no need to look upward.

What God introduced at Babel — the multiplicity of languages, cultures, and voices — was not simply punishment. It was a corrective, and perhaps something more than that. The diversity of human interpretation, including the diversity of faithful religious interpretation, keeps any single tradition from mistaking its own partial vision for the whole of God’s truth. When Jewish scholars and Christian scholars read Micah 5:2 side by side, each sees something real. Each is turned toward the same horizon. And the conversation between them, pursued in honesty and humility, may bring both traditions closer to the God whom the prophet was straining to describe.

The ruler Micah promised comes from the smallest place. His greatness reaches to the ends of the earth. And his name, the ancient rabbis told us, was spoken before the world began.

Our Father, give us the humility to know that your truth is larger than our understanding of it, and the wisdom to learn from those who read your word from a different place than we do. May all our voices, however different, be turned toward you. Amen.

This devotional was written by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [email protected].

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.